Bill, staring over the heads of those around him, saw a movement among those nearest the orator's stand, and into the ring of light stepped The Lily. Apparently she was speaking to the doctor, who leaned down to listen. He straightened up and called for silence. "Mrs. Meredith," he said, "says that any man here who has no money with him can sign what he wants to give on a piece of paper, and that she will accept it as she would a pay-check and forward the cash. Then on pay-day the man can come and redeem his paper pledge." There was a low murmur of approval swept round over the crowd which began to move forward with slow regularity. The doctor dropped down from his rostrum as if his task were done. The torches lowered as their bearers followed him and planted them beside the box on which coins, big round silver dollars and yellow gold-pieces, were falling, with here and there a scrap of paper. No one stood guard over that collection. The crowd was thinning out. Dick turned toward his friend and looked up at him to meet eyes as troubled as his own. Each understood the other. "I wish I had some money of my own," the younger man exclaimed; "but I haven't a dollar that actually belongs to me. I am going to borrow a little from Sloan." "I can't do that much," was the sorrowful reply. "And there ain't nothin' I'd rather do in the world than walk up there and drop a couple of hundred on that pile. I'm--I'm--" His manner indicated that he was about to relapse into stronger terms. He suddenly whirled. A hand had been laid on his sleeve and a low, steady voice said, "Excuse me, I heard you talking and I understand. I know what you feel. I want you to permit me." It was Mrs. Meredith who had walked around behind them unobserved and now held out her hand. They fell back, embarrassed. She appeared to fathom their position. "I know," she said. "I wasn't eavesdropping. I saw you here. I wanted to talk to you both and so, well, I overheard. Take this, won't you? Please permit me." Bill suddenly reached his hand out and found in his palm a roll of bills, rare in that camp. He looked at them curiously. "There is five hundred dollars in it," she said. "That permits a reasonable gift from each of you. You can return it to me at your convenience."